The Biggest Spring/Summer Trends At New York Fashion Week

A sunny sense of optimism ran through the Spring/Summer 2020 collections presented at New York Fashion Week, with labels offering more than enough talking points we can latch on to till London, Milan, Paris take over. Whether it was pure, unadulterated joy at Marc Jacobs, powerful androgynous clothing at Proenza Schouler, or peppy polka dots at Michael Kors and Tory Burch, the mood was naturally upbeat. The trends that came down New York Fashion Week weren’t aspirational, but attainable. Everything from corsets, to oversized blazers, exaggerated sleeves and breezy nautical stripes were a celebration of individuality, signaling the arrival of spring. To that end, here’s a round-up of the 10 most notable trends that we saw on the ramps at New York Fashion Week, which are deserving of ample closet space.

Balloon Sleeves

Billowy bishop sleeves dominated the runway at Brock Collection and Zimmermann, with its flowy fullness and cuff details also seen at Christian Siriano. Looks like the humble shirt sleeve is ready to blow up next summer – quite literally and figuratively speaking. We say it is equal parts romantic and wild.

Corsets

Whether they’re worn over your clothes ala Vera Wang, or designed with intricate lace at Jeremy Scott, corsets are the easiest way to define one’s silhouette. Jeremy Scott lent the Victorian-esque garment a fun spin, while Vera Wang gave us a lesson or two in layering at New York Fashion Week. Get ready to cinch everything in.

Fancy Cummerbands

The menswear accessory was a staple at Ralph Lauren’s jazz club show and at Prabal Gurung’s abundance of florals. A nod to the 80’s moment, these maximum impact belts were made for cinching waists and creating proportion. And guess what you don’t need to own a tuxedo to pull off these fancy waist bands.

Hot Pants

What’s summer without showing off some skin in those itty-bitty shorts. The thigh revealing getup in different prints and cheerful colours was a big draw for Longchamp’s Parisian chic women, Bronx and Banco’s cowboy girls, and Brandon Maxwell’s polished ladies. Wear them super high-waisted and uber short to switch up your holiday ensemble.

Nautical Stripes

Breezy nautical stripes adorned wispy maxi skirts, swim cover-ups, and T-shirts at 3.1 Phillip Lim, Roland Mouret and Tory Burch’s NYFW shows. Looks like the humble sailor stripe has once again been upgraded to first-class. With designers serving up so much nautical inspo, we for one can’t wait to hit the azure waters and set sail. Aye, aye captain.

Oversized blazers

Chic white suits came with oversized jackets and wide shoulders, including a double-breasted version at Proenza Schouler and an embellished number at Area, which was covered in gold chains. Prabal Gurung lent a feminine touch to the otherwise androgynous silhouette, with a burst of floral patterns.

Polka Dots

Pattern-wise the polka dot made an unusually strong presence at New York Fashion Week, sprinkled liberally through the collections of Tory Burch, Michael Kors and Caroline Herrera, to name just a few. They popped up on crepe de chine wrap dresses, Peter Pan collared tops, and sporty pleated hemline dresses. Safe to say that you can always count on this timeless classic to keep reinventing itself and find a way back into your wardrobe.

Shocking Pink

Not only did hot pink make a big splash on the ramp this season, but some of New York Fashion Week’s biggest, and most exaggerated pieces came in the eye-catching hue. Think Marc Jacobs OTT floor-grazing ruffled dresses, Self Portrait’s billowy maxis, and Vaquera’s asymmetrical hem dress with cascading frills. Go big or go home, we say.

Tie-Dye

The fashion crowd is dipping their toes in the tie-dye pool with stained T-shirts and painted dresses that spell sun-kissed afternoons in the summer. Meanwhile designers like Prabal Gurung, Collina Strada and Carolina Herrera are elevating the street trend to luxury fashion as seen at their shows in New York Fashion Week, where water colour tie-dyes decorated maxi dresses and swim cover-ups.

Socks over shoes

Despite their on-and-off again status, this footwear trend is all the rage for Spring thanks to Gypsy Sport’s pool slide pairings, Michael Kors stripy socks and metallic heel combo, and the minimal effect achieved by The Row at New York Fashion Week. There’s something so school girl-cool about wearing long socks and shoes.